


Meteor Garden Whump Challenge

by WeaglesAndBrobeans



Category: whump - Fandom, 流星花園 | Meteor Garden
Genre: Choking, Crying, Insomnia, Nightmares, Other, Whump, hurt comfort, protective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-25 11:07:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15639501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeaglesAndBrobeans/pseuds/WeaglesAndBrobeans
Summary: Ximen is calm. Ximen is intelligent. Ximen is posh. Ximen is classy.Ximen Yu is the perfect target for a whump challenge.Join as our stoic little ginger faces kidnapping, assault and more.





	1. Crying

**Author's Note:**

> The first word for the whump challenge is 'cry'.

It had been three days. Three days of surviving this hell hole. Three days of dirty water. Three days of hunger pains. Three days of isolation.   
Ximen shifted his weight to alleviate the pressure on his cuffed wrists. He tried not to dwell on the situation.   
He'd listed his favorite teas and their inviting qualities. He'd listed the teas he'd never try again along with what made them deplorable. He'd played bridge in his mind five times, though he'd yet to win. Meizuo always beat him even in his imagination.   
The thought had Ximen flinching in on himself. The longing for his dear friends cut deeper than his hunger pains or the chains that refused to let his arms drop down.   
All his life his mind had been an asset - the best thing about him. But here plunged in the damp recesses of some cellar it had become an enemy.   
In an unsolvable situation his mind had run circles and driven him to near madness. Ximen felt rage swell within him as he bellowed in fury and kicked out with his aching legs. "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME!"   
He'd had the fit a few times before, but never to any avail.   
Yet just as the tall ginger collapsed into despair once more, a door to his right swung open. Hope and terror battled for his heart as the bright light momentarily blinded him. The hope for rescue was quickly cut short as a mocking voice cut through the silence.   
"How's our precious cargo?"  
Dread climbed up Ximen's throat but he managed to shove it aside and glare at his captor.   
The broad shouldered man crouched before his prisoner and with a sickening grin began to comb his fingers through Ximen's hair. Even as the ginger struggled and tried to pull away, the captor grabbed tightly to the hair and pulled back.   
Ximen tried to cut his whimper short. He didn't want to seem weak. The irony of the thought brought a bitter laugh to his lips. He couldn't possibly be any weaker before this man.   
"What's this darling?" Sneered the man. "What is it you find so humorous?"  
Glaring as best he could with a thick hand pulling his head back, Ximen gathered his courage.  
"You couldn't possibly understand you fucking piece of scum," he snarled.   
The hand left his hair but quickly found a hold on Ximen's throat. Choking and floundering he struggled to merely breathe.   
"If you insult me again," the man threatened, "you may find you'll never speak again. Do I make myself clear?"  
The ginger curled in on himself, coughing and gasping as soon as sweet air hit his lungs once more. Tender bruising had already begun to form over the pale flesh of his neck.   
As he regained his breath, the man crouching before him traced his figure with a steely gaze.   
"You know, I thought I'd hit the jackpot when I found you. Tipsy with your little friends, bragging on your fathers' recent business venture."  
The hands were back. Thick fingers stroking the bright red imprint they'd caused just moments before. Ximen felt lightheaded and anxious. Never before had he felt so caged in. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he couldn't help it. He was terrified. He fought to stay sharp, look for a weakness, anything to help him. But his mind kept wandering. Distracted by terror and hunger and repulsion, he found himself drifting.   
A sharp tug of his chin brought Ximen back to the present.   
"But you've been useless," declared the baritone voice. "Your father has been completely uncooperative. It's like he couldn't care less if you were at my mercy. And your fancy little friends haven't batted an eye! What are the odds I found myself the least wanted piece of shit in all of Shanghai?"  
The words punched the air out of Ximen. It couldn't be true. Could it?   
As his thoughts raced, the large man stood.   
"Maybe I'll just sell you. Such a pretty thing. I've got to make something off my efforts now don't I?"   
With that sickening remark, his captor retreated, plunging him into darkness once more.   
The levity of the situation came crashing down and Ximen collapsed forward. Tears burned his eyes. Chains bit his torn wrists. Air evaded his lungs. Before he knew it, Ximen was choking on a sob.   
He hadn't cried since childhood- always stoic, always controlled. But he's never felt more broken. Was he truly worthless to his family, to his friends? Would he really be sold?   
Hot tears raced through the filth accumulated on his cheeks as he let it all out. With the last of his tears came the last of his energy. With the last of his tears came apathy.


	2. Hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I may not always stay on this story line but maybe I will. It's a surprise for even me. 
> 
> Regardless this can be considered part 2 to chapter one. The word prompt was 'hunger'. 
> 
> ENJOY!

Meizuo slammed his laptop shut and wiped a hand down his face. It was nearly 4am and he had class in a few short hours, but he couldn't bring himself to care.   
He'd be skipping it all completely if Lei hadn't pointed out that Ximen would need his notes when they finally found him.   
Comments like those were a lifeline to Meizuo. They would find him. He would be okay. Life would resume.   
Still, he couldn't bring himself to rest. He couldn't stop searching.   
It had been five days since their friend went missing. Five miserable days.   
Lei had been helpful and calm. He'd become their spokesman, communicating with Ximen's parents and the police.  
Ah Si, on the other hand, was a pain in the ass. Sure the crisis had pulled him out of his heartbroken stupor, but Daoming Si is Daoming Si. He'd cursed out and threatened the police for being "lazy incompetent fuckers who failed to pursue justice on any satisfactory level". It was a less than helpful conversation. Even worse was his accusations towards Ximen's father for not cooperating with the captor.   
Meizuo may have agreed with his emotional friend, but the comments were out of line. 

A text alert pulled Meizuo from his stupor and sent his heart pounding. 

LeiLei 


	3. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 3 of the whump challenge - nightmares

"Wake up. Wake up. Wake up."  
Ximen smacked at his face as he chanted to himself. The chaotic rhythm of his pounding head matched his incessant mantra. He just needed to wake up.   
Everything ached, but his heart clinched most painfully.   
Beside him lay an unconscious, and very much bleeding out, Meizuo.   
Moments before, the raven haired youth had gasped wetly as red stained his lips. "It wasn't in the cards Xi."   
Ximen pulled at his collar and growled in despair. "There's no such thing Mei! There's no such thing!"   
He'd roared out in grief as his friend collapsed both still and silent.   
So here he sat, angry and broken and so very done. This wasn't real. This couldn't be.   
"Wake up. Wake up. Wake up."


	4. Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond the dark circles painted beneath his eyes, Ximen was pale and sweating. The finger prints tattooed on his throat were now a ghastly shade of yellow and green and his cheeks had hollowed.   
> "Oh Ximen," he sighed.

Lei had been quietly observing all day. This isn't particularly novel (he did that often) but it didn't usually strike such a concern in him.   
As a workaholic carrying the load of multiple enormous final projects and a broken heart, he was no stranger to insomnia. He knew the tell tale of bruised eyes and stuttering yawns. He knew the drive to robotically float through the day. But Ximen? He'd never been one to miss out on sleep. He held the lasting title of first to bed and first to shoot up fully refreshed the following morning.   
For the third time that day Lei watched as the typically suave ginger dropped what he'd been holding. This time it was his lunch. A rare show of emotion leaked out as Ximen kicked the fallen tray and, abandoning the mess, stormed from the cafeteria.   
Lei was convinced. His steady friend was off kilter, so clearly something had been keeping him awake.   
Ah Si snorted. He couldn't figure out what his friend's deal was, but as far as he was concerned it would surely sort in due time.   
Meizuo watched in concern as the door slammed behind Ximen, but he held back when Lei gestured for him to wait.   
"I'll talk to him," he assured the two as he calmly gathered his books and trailed after his clearly exhausted friend.   
Down the hallway he spotted the tall senior as he leaned against a wall and rubbed his hands down his face.   
Before Lei could reach him though, Ximen slid to the floor in a limp heap.   
Heart climbing to his throat, Lei ran the last few steps and slid to the tile floor. Hands fluttered as he tried to sort out the best way to help.   
Ximen sat shaking with rattling breaths, his eyes only slightly open. Lei realized he hadn't taken the time to really look his friend over and he bit back a gasp at what he saw. Beyond the dark circles painted beneath his eyes, Ximen was pale and sweating. The finger prints tattooed on his throat were now a ghastly shade of yellow and green and his cheeks had hollowed.   
"Oh Ximen," he sighed. Reaching out, Lei grabbed the back of his neck and stooped in an attempt to make eye contact.   
" Can you hear me?"  
A nod.   
"When was the last time you slept Ximen?"  
A shrug.   
Gasps and mutters and the tapping of feet grew around the two. They'd managed to acquire a crowd. Popularity was a blessing and a curse, so Lei knew to expect that the scene would surely be plastered on the internet within minutes.   
Lei gathered up his most menacing glare and aimed it at the swarm of girls. They had crowded closer with their phones aloft hoping to be the one to catch this moment of vulnerability. Like seagulls swarming after bread crumbs.   
"Back off," growled Lei as he leaned forward in attempt to hide his friend.   
"Ximen," he whispered. "If I help, do you think we can get you up and to the car?"  
Nodding jerkily, he flopped his arm over Lei's shoulder.   
They had only just managed to stand, Ximen depending heavily on his faithful friend.   
By the time they'd reached Lei's car, Ximen was panting heavily and swaying dangerously.   
"Talk to me Ximen. Are you dizzy?" He probed as he lowered his friend into the passenger seat.   
"Umm," he yawned and lazily blinked his, rolling his eyes up to his friend. "A little bit yeah. You're blurry. And the car already feels like it's moving."  
Lei nodded and moved to shut the door.   
"Damnit Xi," he muttered to himself. His friend had gone through so much already. Having it continue to impact him was so hard to watch. 

It didn't take them long to reach Ximen's home. Lei pulled up, parked, and glanced over to his sleepy passenger.   
"Ready to get some rest?"  
The question was futile. Lei sighed as he looked over his friend. Ximen had slumped into the window, breath deep and rhythmic.   
But just as Lei had walked around the car and stretched over the sleeping ginger to unbuckle the seatbelt Ximen launched forward. He cried out as he shoved Lei out into the pavement.


End file.
